Enjoyed this tour with Roger and we learned many things about William Blount. Once you step inside…read morethe house you're truly stepping back in time, the smell included, not a bad smell at all, but the scent of what a centuries old house would bring to mind. The original hardwood floor is what you notice first and the rest is just awe-inspiring as well. Please see it!

We had some time in Downtown Knoxville and decided to check out the mansion. The staff are super…read morenice, and we enjoyed talking with them. We were given a tour with just our family which was really cool. We all really loved the tour. It was great for our son who could touch a lot of objects. They also had a table to try and write with a quill. I would recommend the mansion if you love history.

Today was amazing! We went to see a castle right here in Tennessee! Floyd "Junior" Banks built the…read morecastle out in Loudon County TN called the Greenback Castle or Fortress of Faith. He dedicated this castle to the Lord and encourages everyone to come out and see it for themselves. He never charges a fee to visit, but donations are very much appreciated. He was excited to meet us and take us for a tour. He is a fascinating gentleman with some really interesting stories. He built the castle himself with donated items over the past 30 years and still works on it. Junior told us he never used a level or measuring device, God guides him. He lives in a house nearby on the many acres of property. I highly recommend touring this incredible castle (AT YOUR OWN RISK) and spending some time listening to Junior. I immediately went on Amazon and bought 2 of his books because he was so intriguing. Fortress of Faith: Art, Science, and Divine Intervention at the Greenback Castle What In Another World Is Going On At The Greenback Castle?

(Not a restaurant) If you love the bizarre and unique visit…read morethe Greenback Castle. A retired old gentleman built this "art project " over 30+ years. And loves to greet people and explain the (mostly religious) meaning of all displays. Fun, weird, unique!

Ramsey House was built in 1797 by Knoxville's first builder, Thomas Hope, for Francis Alexander…read moreRamsey. The home is constructed of Tennessee pink marble and blue limestone. It was known at that time as the finest home in Tennessee. The structure is significant for its original interior and exterior architectural features and its period decorative art collection. The home is said to be haunted, and I feel quite drawn to it, and did feel a presence, will have to keep coming back. It sat empty for many years, and was refurbished in 1952. The Association for the Preservation of Tennessee Antiquities took it over. It is a historic treasure, you step back in time. They have tours go on their website, blacksmith class, music events, haunted tours, etc...

This is a great spot to learn a little more about the founding families of East Tennessee!…read moreFun fact, the Ramsey House has the first attached kitchen to a home in East TN because the stone house was less likely to burn down. They have great events all year long. Love the free vintage baseball games in the summer where they dress up all old timey and play without gloves. The candlelight tours around Halloween and Christmas are beautiful and actually different from the tours they give normally during the year so you can learn even more. Also love the Christmas marketplace and spring marketplace to shop local with a great variety of vendors. Staff is so nice and it's a great stop on a series of tours if you're interested in historic homes in the area.

I've been meaning to post this review for awhile. The museum is undergoing some renovations. It…read morewas enlightening to learn about more of the local history. We enjoyed a self guided tour of the home and a trip to the gift shop. General Longstreet was an excellent tactician with a heart for his men. It was interesting to learn that he was often in disagreement with General Lee, especially over Gettysburg and Pickett's Charge. After the War, he supported his longtime friend and once adversary, President Grant. He was also in support of Reconstruction and healing a nation. Glad to have this museum and the very helpful curator in our community.

Mr. William Nenney's house is probably not much to look at on the outside. It's not ostentatious…read more It's really rather simple. But the hard wood floors creak with charm and the small handful of Nenney family historical pieces bring it to life. Overall, it's very well preserved and chock-full of archives from the Civil War. Beyond showcasing Longstreet, actually the interior is full of information, anecdotes and historical tidbits about East Tennessee's fascinating role during several campaigns. And since I'm particularly intrigued with both those things this visit was a real treat for me! I told my tour guide that I was just passing through and that we needed to be quick. She understood and made accommodations. She was so sweet and just let me tour around the house at my pace while she stood nearby to answer questions. You can tell she really loved giving tours, especially to the school kids as she tells me. She says, "You realize, you are walking around the same place where Longstreet marched around in his boots. Right?" Well, yeah. When you put it that way it makes this house really cool. If you want you can time your visit around a reenactment which they host seasonally. Besides that, there's no blood or gore or big elaborate exhibit at this museum. Mainly just a select few artifacts and the rest is knowledge and oral storytelling and trinkets passed down from nearby families. At the adjacent visitor center you can pull out a read from one of the dozens of notebooks, binders, and archives of paper, print and historical record. It's really great preservation work. You'll just have to visit the Nenney house to see for yourself. There's lots to learn.

On our recent visit to Great Smoky Mountains, husband decided to come here since we were in the…read morearea, and it was an interesting pit stop! We were able to secure admission tickets via Viator, which meant we could use our Viator credits to buy tickets! Woohoo. The experience was informative, educational, but a bit underwhelming. We're glad the Cherokee people are able to maintain their history thru this museum, and we even brought home a souvenir from their gift shop. It's worth a visit if you happen to be in the area, and there's a burger restaurant down the road from the museum that serves delicious burgers with a view of the river!

This is a museum in progress but it was still pretty decent. I liked that they included pottery and…read moreitems from more recent times to tie in with the past. Overall I do wish they didn't cover over some of the signage with paint but it's very reading intensive. Kids probably wouldn't find this as interesting Would love more interactive parts like being able to touch beading, playing cultural songs, I loved the portion where you hear their language by syllables Really interesting and the girl at the counter was super sweet. The gift shop was kind of expensive- a sticker was $6.. overall easy parking and access.

Really enjoyed our afternoon of drinking and fun. Some of the negative reviews are kind of dumb…read more(why would you think you could bring a toddler on this tour?). Yes, tastings are free at most of the wineries and distilleries in town, but you're paying to get to them all safely (and without the hassle of trying to park) and hit them all in the same day. And I witnessed firsthand that we got more options to sample than people who just came in off the street. It sounds like there used to be an issue with one winery not giving full samples, but they are no longer a stop on the tour. We hit around 9 places: -Smith distillery. We liked this place enough that we returned later in the week. Really great service. The sweet tea flavor was a favorite. -Applewood Farm (two stops with wine and cider). I preferred the cider, actually, and it was nice to try something different. The cider slushies were delicious. Time didn't allow us to return her, but if we stay in Pigeon Forge again, I'd like to explore the Farm a little bit more. -Most of the other wineries blurred together, which isn't a complaint. They served really similar wines and even had similar decor. Most specialize in sweet wines, which isn't normally my thing. Tasting them is still fun, though. We bought a couple of bottles along the way. -Old Forge Distillery. We missed the first half of the tour, but there were still a lot of samples, and we came back on our last day, did another tour, and bought some bottles. Oatmeal cookie and elderflower were two favorites. -Mill Bridge Winery. This was my favorite of the wineries. First, it was really pretty inside. The woman who led our tasting was very knowledgeable, and the range of wines was more unique. We bought a bottle of Indian Summer. -Tennessee Moonshine Company (with an attached winery for tasting). Maybe my least favorite of the distilleries, but it was still pretty good and had some unique flavors. -Junction 35. This place was way more modern than the other spots, and it was a good ending to the tour. We wound up coming back here, too. We enjoyed getting to know the other people on the tour. I think there were 22 of us total, which was a decent number. The bus was pretty hot/cramped, but I think that should be a given. We weren't on it for more than 15 minutes at a time, so it wasn't a big deal. I would definitely suggest this tour to other adults looking for a fun way to spend a few hours.

Took the moonshine and wine tour! It was such a great time!! We all laughed and joked. Tried a…read moreton of moonshine, some amazing wines, and even some hard ciders! Our whole tour had an absolute blast. We took snacks on the bus for during the drives between to help soak up some alcohol. It also helped cleanse the palate. Would definitely consider doing this again. I think I bought 2 hard ciders, a moonshine, and 4 bottles of wine.

An amazing and unforgettable experience - perhaps the crowning jewel of our entire trip. Olivia was…read morea knowledgeable and personable guide. I loved hearing about how the cave was discovered by little kids - brothers - who spent their childhoods playing in it, and how they later grew up to save enough money to buy it outright and keep it in the family thereafter (and it's still privately owned by the family to this day!) At the start, we were a bit concerned about the amount of walking - and in particular, the steps. Our youngest is at the age where he wants to be independent, but he needs extra time to manage stairs (and some of those passages were narrow and steep enough to where we didn't feel comfortable carrying him) but we needn't have worried. Our large group had some adults who needed extra time with stairs, as well as people who took full advantage of our pace to snap more photos (and I've been on another cave tour where we were rushed through and unable to take many photos at all); nobody seemed to mind. I was also worried about not bringing a sweater, as the cave is 58 degrees year round, but it's a little bit of a workout which keeps you warm. If you have any health issues like a heart condition or anything affecting the function of your lungs it might be too intense (I'm just fat, and it was mildly strenuous: just when your heart starts to pound and you're breath is coming in faster you've reached your next destination and you return to resting state - this happens a couple times.) The cave is like being on another planet. We snapped some amazing photos. When it was time to return to the world above, my kids were sad that it was over.

If you're heading to Townsend. Tuckaleechee Caverns is a must-do…read more This place is absolutely worth the visit. Pricing is reasonable, and the experience is unforgettable. We had Kash as our tour guide and he was fantastic, energetic, kind, and amazing with kids. He kept everyone engaged, answered every question, and clearly knows the caverns inside and out. Even in a large group, you could still hear him clearly throughout the walk. The tour runs about 1.5 hours and covers over a mile underground. Be ready for stairs, lots of them (around 87 steep steps on the way out), and this is not wheelchair or stroller accessible. The cave floor is wet, so good shoes are a must. You'll also duck in a few spots, but not constantly. The views are unreal: a waterfall, a stream, stalactites, stalagmites, and massive natural columns you get to see up close while learning the history behind them. It stays cool inside, but you'll warm up from all the walking. It's well organized even when multiple groups are passing each other, and everything flows smoothly. The gift shop is also a win: well stocked, fair prices, and they accept cards. Bottom line: if you love nature, caves, geology, or just want a unique family experience, this is 100% worth your time.

Really nice way to learn more about Asheville history, and when you buy a one-day ticket, you can…read moreride the trolley the second day as well. I ended up riding parts of the same route three times with different drivers, and it was worth it because each driver added different details and stories. I particularly enjoyed one driver who was a former teacher from Maryland. He had done extra research and brought the history alive with details about what life had been like at the psychiatric hospital and what Zelda Fitzgerald thought about the women's dormitory. I learned more about Asheville each time I rode. The easiest place to board is Stop 1 at the Asheville Visitor Center, where you can get the sticker showing you have a trolley ticket, since the drivers don't carry the stickers. It is helpful to stick it on something you can hold up so the driver can easily see it and know you want to be picked up. The Visitor Center also has bathrooms, a gift shop, and a whole lot of great tourist brochures. There is free parking. If you buy your ticket online, I found the boarding instructions confusing and somewhat contradictory. They say you can board at any stop but also tell you to go to Stop 1 at the Visitor Center. You can show the driver your online confirmation if you board at another stop, but the bigger challenge can be figuring out exactly where some of the stops are based on the website directions and where Google Maps takes you. I never figured out exactly where Stop 4 at 2 S. Pack Square was, even though it was the closest stop to the AC Asheville hotel. During Boomtown FestAVL, that stop was also moved because the area was shut down, but the changed location wasn't listed on the website. After that experience, going to the Visitor Center and getting my sticker was much easier. The entire trolley loop takes about 90 minutes. From the Visitor Center, the first three stops take about 30 minutes. Here are some notes that may help if you want to use the trolley for sightseeing: Stop 1 - Asheville Visitor Center: The Visitor Center is behind the Chamber of Commerce building and has a free parking lot, bathrooms, tourist information and a gift shop. Stop 2 - Omni Grove Park Inn: In addition to visiting the inn, you can walk down the steep hill to Grovewood Gallery, which has lots of art and pottery, the Antique Car Museum, and the Biltmore Industries Homespun Museum. Remember that if you walk down the hill, you eventually have to come back up. Pro tip: You don't have to walk back up that steep hill! Go to the parking garage behind the Grove Park Inn and take the elevator upstairs to the hotel. You will wind your way through the hotel, past the stores, and eventually find your way outside to the Sammons Wing entrance where the trolley dropped you off, downhill from the main entrance. Much easier than climbing the hill. Stop 6 - Grove Arcade: A historic building with pretty architecture and several stores and restaurants on the ground floor, including Spicewalla for spices. We also had a really good meal at Huli Sue's, which serves BBQ and Hawaiian-inspired food. Stop 7 - River Arts District North: The trolley leaves you near a traffic circle, and from there you can walk to different buildings and explore the art galleries. I particularly liked the North Carolina Glass Center, where you can buy reasonably priced glass or take classes. There was also a large building with many individual artist studios farther down the street near the coffee shop. Stop 8 - River Arts District South: I wasn't sure how to walk there from the North stop, so I just got back on the trolley and rode there. There are more large buildings with art galleries to explore. Stop 9 - Biltmore Village: Shops and restaurants in the community George Vanderbilt created for workers on his estate. Stop 10 - South Slope Brewery District: Like the name implies, there are lots of microbreweries in this area. I thought the trolley was worthwhile both as transportation and as a way to learn about Asheville then spend more time at some of the stops the 2nd day.

Great guide and driver tonight 9-14-26. Very interesting and…read moreinformative plus a funny antidote here and there. Good food at the pub where you meet the trolley.

I'm always all in when it comes to historic bridges especially when I can experience them first…read morehand and if I can walk across them then that's gets it to a entirely different level. I actually found this foot bridge by happenstance, I was driving down the highway and saw it connecting the two sides of the river, which is the intended purpose. Getting to this little gems is quite tricky and as you approach it on the residential side of the river you may be a little hesitant to pull into the narrow lane that sits between two homes but trust me the neighbors know what they have on the backside of their riverfront property - one friendly owner was outside and invited me in to check it out. These bridges are so cool but they were simply constructed to provide a solution which was "to get to the other side" I'm sure there is some correlation to "why did the chicken cross the road" but I'm not certain. The water below was running at a good pace and is very shallow you definitely wouldn't want to jump from or fall from this bridge the rocks would break you fall immediately after the splash. You could probably see everything you want to see here in about 10 minutes I stayed about 20 minutes - besides the bridge being super cool and the fact that it is historic there is more to it, the "love lock" phenomenon which symbolizes "unbreakable love" has attached itself to the structure. The love padlock phenomenon is like a weird alien growth that just won't die so think about this before placing your lock...

A little awkward to find but so beautiful!! It's lovely and well worth the hunt. Lots of fun. We…read morealso saw turtles near the creek below

Been driving through this part of Tennessee for the last 10 years or so and have been wanting to…read morevisit here that whole time. Finally made it. I've have visited 3 other shuttered prisons over the years and they all are pretty neat. This one was physically the smallest but was very impressive. We did like most folks and did the self guided tour. Took us about 2 hours and I think we visited everything that was open. They claimed that former staff or guides would be around to answer questions- sadly I never seen anyone. Now reasoning for my rating was based on not seeing staff for questions as well as the price. I know it's a neat historic place but $25 a person was a bit high. They did offer a small discount for military but again a self guided tour for $25 was a bit much. So I do recommend this historic place. But be aware of the cost and that your questions might not be answered.

What a cool stop!! Soooo much to see! The Jail, the offices, a dog rescue building and all the…read moregrounds with the original items. Not too far off the beaten path for driving and a beautiful area!